Ever tried savory oatmeal before? You need to try this delicious cheesy oatmeal that’s topped with the perfectly fried egg! Ready in less than 10 minutes!

Remember that promise that you made at the beginning of the year to try new things, to taste new foods? (Okay, maybe that was a promise that I made.) Well, let’s do it now . . . with savory oatmeal.

I first learned about savory oatmeal from Grandma Lin. She was a great cook in many ways. My goodness, I can still remember her scrumptious pan-fried catfish with peanuts. But when it came to oatmeal, she really only knew two ways of cooking it.

Sweet: oatmeal cooked in milk with a spoonful of sugar and an egg swirled in.

Savory: oatmeal cooked in water with perfectly diced chunks of Chinese sausage and a pinch of salt.

The savory version was always my favorite. I enjoyed digging out those nuggets of Chinese sausage in a bowl of hot porridge. Grandma Lin made eating savory oatmeal fun! It’s been years since I’ve cooked savory oatmeal, and it wasn’t until recently that I decided to whip up a bowl for breakfast.

After many late-night chocolate sessions over the last few weeks, my body craved savory foods. That’s when this savory oatmeal idea hit me. Just fry up the egg and cook vegetables while I microwave the oatmeal. A hot breakfast ready 10 minutes!

So the next time you are craving something savory for breakfast, try this oatmeal! That fried egg on top is calling for you.

MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

Using Quick-Cooking Steel Cut Oats: I love cooking with steel cut oats because I think they have more texture than rolled oats. However, regular steel cut oats take forever to cook, and I would probably starve before the oats are done cooking. That’s why I recommend picking up the quick-cooking steel cut oats—they take only a few minutes. You can usually find a few brands at the supermarket, but Quaker is a solid one. Feel free to use regular rolled oats if that’s what you have on hand.

Tips for Microwave Method: I have definitely made a huge mess while cooking oatmeal in the microwave before. The problem was that I was microwaving at too high of a power setting. (On a scale from 1 to 10, I was microwaving at a 10.) When liquids get too hot in the microwave, they will bubble vigorously and cause the contents to spill over. So here are my tips to avoid a big mess. (1) Avoid using small bowls. Your bowl should be 1/2 or 2/3 of the way full when you fill it with the oats and water. (2) Change the power setting to 7 or 8/10, and check how the oatmeal is cooking every minute. It should take 3 minutes to cook. Don’t forget to stir the oats in between intervals! (3) If you can’t lower the power settings, place a paper towel underneath your bowl of oats to catch any spills, and check them after every minute. Check the packaging label for the cooking time of that particular brand of oats. Of course, you can always cook this on the stove top.

Be Careful with the Salt: Don’t forget that white cheddar (or whatever cheese you use) is a bit salty already, so you don’t need to add much more salt to the oatmeal. I got a bit excited with the salt the first time I tried the recipe, and boy was that bowl of oatmeal SALTY. That went straight to the trash.

Using Coconut Oil: I cooked the chopped vegetables and egg with a tiny bit of virgin coconut oil, and I loved the additional flavor. Coconut oil spray works well, too. We’re going to use a tiny bit of coconut oil in this recipe, so you’ll want to use a non-stick pan, if possible.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes by leaving a comment or take a photo of the food and tag me on Instagram so that I can give you a fist bump! I love seeing your creations!

Savory Oatmeal with Cheddar & Fried Egg

Prep2mins

Cook8mins

Total10mins

AuthorLisa Lin

Yield1serving

This savory oatmeal is a great way to switch up your breakfast routine. If you don't want to bother with frying up an egg in another pan, you can also crack the egg into the oatmeal when it is nearly done cooking.

Instructions

Stove Top Method: Bring water to boil. Add oatmeal, reduce heat a little and let it cook for about 3 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat and stir in cheese, a small pinch of salt, and pepper.

Microwave Method*: Place oats and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Line microwave dish with paper towels to catch any spills. Microwave at a high setting (but not the highest, about 8/10 power setting) at one-minute intervals for a total of 3 minutes. If you want a softer texture, continue microwaving at 30-second intervals. Give the oats a little stir between intervals. When the oatmeal is done, stir in shredded cheese, a small pinch of salt, and pepper.

Heat a nonstick pan with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until they soften. Spoon vegetables over cooked oats. Reduce heat to medium.

Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oil and fry egg. Cook until the whites are no longer translucent and serve over oatmeal.

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48 thoughts on “Savory Oatmeal with Cheddar and Fried Egg”

JuliaJanuary 11, 2016 at 4:36 am
Gaaah this bowl looks like the perfect breakfast to me! I've been meaning to try savory oats, myself, and this definitely has me inspired. Plus, I'm loving the idea of Chinese sausage, or chorizo as an addition. This is definitely on the to-make list, fo sho!! Hope you had a great weekend, Lisa!

Ashley | Spoonful of FlavorJanuary 11, 2016 at 6:09 am
Yes, I love savory oatmeal! I am a little obsessed with oatmeal so I eat it multiple times a week and am always looking for different combinations of flavor to try. I love the addition of the peppers and onions and can't wait to try this!

Liz @ Floating KitchenJanuary 13, 2016 at 5:24 am
Savory oatmeal is kind of a new thing for me this year. And I'm so loving it! And of course, now wondering why it took me so long to figure this out. These photos are absolutely gorgeous, Lisa. I just want to grab that bowl right out of your hands!

genevieve @ gratitude & greensJanuary 13, 2016 at 12:31 pm
I think people get turned off when they hear the term savoury oatmeal, but having grown up eating Chinese porridge, it's not weird to me at all! I haven't made savoury oatmeal in a while- thank you for the reminder to keep trying exciting things in the kitchen! <3

GemOctober 3, 2016 at 8:09 pm
I love savoury oats and make it often. If you are interested, do check out my Japanese Savoury Oats recipe, where I use wakame :)
https://breakfastandsalads.wordpress.com/2016/09/10/savoury-japanese-congee/

Jeremiah SayDecember 6, 2016 at 10:41 am
The egg in the image looks so damn freaking sexy! I don't know how you cooked such a sweet looking egg. Every time I cooked mine, it looks like crap! And everytime I look at it, I lose appetite! :( Great recipe by the way! Keep up the good work!

TaystasJune 20, 2017 at 7:27 am
Never thought of using oats to make a savory breakfast. After making this, HOLY BREAKFAST BATMAN! Thanks for the great suggestion and what I can say is the newest addition my arsenal of breakfast items.